The third full moon of the year will be visible tonight (March 7), reaching its peak at 12.40am in the UK.
Known as a Worm Moon, it occurs during the changing of the seasons from winter to spring. The full moon is the lunar phase when the moon appears fully illuminated from Earth's perspective.
They occur every 29.5 days, which is the time it takes for the Moon to orbit the Earth and complete one lunar phase cycle. There will be 13 full moons this year, with two falling in August. But why is tonight's full moon named a Worm Moon?
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According to NASA, The Maine Farmers' Almanac began publishing Native American names for full moons in the 1930s and these names are now widely known and used. The more southern tribes called this lunar phase the Worm Moon after the earthworm casts that appeared as the ground thawed.
Nasa explained: "It makes sense that only the southern tribes called this the Worm Moon. When glaciers covered the northern part of North America they wiped out the native earthworms. After these glaciers melted about 12,000 years ago the more northern forests grew back without earthworms. Most of the earthworms in these areas are invasive species introduced from Europe and Asia."
In Europe, it is known as the Lenten Moon, as this corresponds with Lent, the traditional period of fasting that precedes Easter. Other names are the Chaste Moon or the Death Moon, related to the fasting of Lent and traditions from when the start of spring was the end of the old year and start of the new.
Tonight's Worm Moon will be followed by the Pink Moon on April 6, Flower Moon on May 5, and the Strawberry Moon on June 3.
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